Government Documents: Collections & Access
The University Library has been a selective depository library for United States government publications since 1965. This means that the library is constantly receiving official documents--in paper, microform, and electronic formats--from hundreds of agencies in all branches of the federal government. Examples include: hearings of the House and Senate; reports from the Environmental Protection Agency; statistical publications from the Bureau of the Census and the Department of Labor. The collection now includes more than 100,000 documents.
The Government Document Collections (paper, microform, CDROM, and electronic) are all available for use by university community and the general public. Borrowing policies for documents are same as those for our other materials. See University Library Borrowing Policy.
The collection, formerly housed in the Government Documents area on the first floor, is now in the process of being merged within the general collection. Other parts of the collection, notably topographic maps and nautical charts and statistical information published on CD-ROM are on the second floor. Some documents can be found using the Primo Library Search system; many others can be located using the GPO CD-ROM, available in the Reference area on the second floor.
USA.gov - "the official U.S. gateway to all government information, is the catalyst for a growing electronic government. Our work transcends the traditional boundaries of government and our vision is global - connecting the world to all U.S. government information and services."
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) makes federal publications available over the FEDsys Federal Digital System. The GPO FEDsys provides links to the Federal Register, Congressional Record, and bills before Congress, for example.
Mass.Gov is the Massachusetts state government portal site for links to a wide range of current Massachusetts state information and publications. The UMD Library also receives Massachusetts state documents from the State Library on microfilm. These are kept on the third floor. The index to state documents, Official Publications of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,is kept in the Reference area on the second floor (call number: Ind. Ref. AI23 M3)
FEDsys - Federal Digital System
U.S. Government Printing Office
GovEngine.com - provides organized links to federal, state and local government sites
